Kia ora. My name is Caitlin Glenton. I have recently graduated with a Bachelor of Education specialising in Early Childhood Education and have a passion for teaching young children.  

I was born and raised in New Zealand on the north shore of Auckland. I have a great love for arts and spend a lot of my spare time partaking in creative activities. I am excited to spark the tamariki curiosity and encourage learning through creative activities.   

A key aspect of my teaching philosophy is that I believe forming strong meaningful, reciprocal relationships based on respect and trust with both tamariki and whanau is fundamental to my teaching practice. I believe that taking the time to develop these relationships enables me as a kaiako to gain valuable knowledge of tamariki interests, strengths, values, cultural identity and funds of knowledge. This then enables me to connect this to their learning and teach in a more culturally responsive and meaningful way to enhance and extend their learning. I believe that each child is unique and brings their own unique identity and funds of knowledge to the learning environment. I believe that each child is precious and deserves to be treated with respect, to feel safe, to feel valued and have a strong sense of identity and belonging.  

An important part of my teaching philosophy is that I believe tamariki learn and develop through play and exploration. I believe that as a kaiako it is important to create an environment that is stimulating and provides tamariki with a wide variety of opportunities to explore and engage in rich and meaningful experiences. I believe that my role as a kaiako is to guide, encourage and support the tamariki in their learning journey. To be knowledgeable and skilled at observing and knowing when to interact to extend their learning.